I find myself sitting in the greenhouse on my lunch break listening to the freezing February wind whistling as it shakes the patchwork of broken glass panes that surround me. Gazing out on our slightly shabby and sad looking winter allotment, I contemplate what this year has in store for me on the plot and if I am being honest; what fate has planned for me away from the weeds, dirty fingernails and nettle stings.
My social media bio, website and business cards (yes I do have those, please don’t judge me!), lists me as garden writer which hasn’t strictly been true of late. I can’t actually remember the last time I put put pen to paper – well, fingers to keyboard at least.
When I first began my allotment and social media journey all those years ago, I had a ‘Eureka!’, moment one day whilst digging. The greatest idea known to man had hit me like a bolt lightening - I would document our growing journey and share it all online for other gardening enthusiasts to behold, enjoy, learn from and one day discuss with their children and grandchildren perhaps? Alas, one quick search online later brought me back to down earth with an unceremonious bump because of course there were already hundreds if not thousands of incredible growers doing just that and extremely successfully I might add.
In spite of this stumbling block I decided to plough on with the ‘greatest idea known to man!’ and achieved some degree of success for a time at least.
I have always enjoyed writing. My open and hopefully relatable style of writing doesn’t always fit the stereotypical and sometimes stuffy feel to some gardening literature which perhaps has been to my detriment? However, it has been accepted and appreciated by many gardening magazines and publications over the years; opportunities of which I immensely grateful and proud of.
However, publications, publishers and online media outlets are so spoilt for choice due to an immensely talented crop of writers, bloggers and gardeners at their fingertips on social media it’s easy to be overlooked, forgotten or replaced.
Having an understanding nature on the subject doesn’t help dissuade the feelings of inadequacy or despondence which unfortunately in my case resulted in a total lack of enthusiasm to continue my plight of trying to be the next horticultural J.K.Rowling.
I have offered my services to countless media outlets, publications and newspapers over the past few years which have been met with radio silence or the dreaded – ‘Thanks but no thanks’ response, which has the whiff of the line ‘It’s not you, it’s me’, at the end of a turbulent relationship.
This is in no way a sob story or me feeling sorry for myself. It’s simply giving you a little peek behind the curtain into why I have been so quiet of late on the writing front.
However, I’ve realised that opportunities don’t just fall into your lap, you have to go out and chase them (again), grab them with both hands and seize the day. Feel free to insert your own clichés here [………].
I am going to ensure that from now on, writing blogs isn’t a chore and doesn’t feel like homework that I’ve left until the Sunday evening before school.
As a lovely and supportive friend I met on social media once said to me; ‘It’s time I put my big girl knickers on and do it!’, and that’s what I’m going to do - metaphorically speaking anyway.
I’ve decided that some of my blogs will be ‘How To Guides’ and some will just a stream of consciousness and let’s face it, ramblings, but hopefully all entertaining and fun to read whilst still useful.
And so the journey begins, again.
Perhaps one day I will look back on this as I complete my new ‘Grow With Joe’ gardening book or submit my latest monthly article for a popular gardening magazine and think about the lunchtime I sat in my greenhouse doing nothing which spurred me onto do something.
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